How thanking people can lead to a better culture
summary
Argues that genuine public thanks raises oxytocin (the “bonding” chemical) and beats dopamine-driven incentives, using a New Zealand case: a micro‑bonus system called Bonusly that gives everyone 200 points/month (≈NZ$20) and displays a public leaderboard. Small, social rewards make quiet contributors visible, lift morale after profit warnings, and avoid commission-style perverse incentives; the system increases daily, sincere thank‑yous, improves cross‑team awareness, and correlates with measurable rises in employee happiness and engagement.
AI-written summary · about
chapters (11)
- 0:00Intro
- 1:15What is happiness?
- 1:57Dopamine The reward drug
- 3:34The love drug
- 5:17What does this have to do with workplace culture?
- 6:43Oxytocin The bonding drug
- 7:09Gratitudes can be part of workplace culture
- 8:22Tools help
- 9:56Happier workplace
- 10:35More visible contributions
- 12:00Start thanking people today
related talks
32mGratitude 360: From Self-Care to the Customer — The Hidden Algorithm of Performance
55mThe Gig is Up: Radical Shifts That Save Cultures, Teams, and Companies
19mA cognitive theory of community
49mHelp Your Teams Avoid Burnout and Apathy
21mThe Feedback Culture in a company: our "Coin" for Recognition
06mIgnite Talk - The Science of Better Meetups
47mLet´s Boost Our Happiness as the Real Game Changer!
39mFrom the Inside Out: How Self-Talk Affects Your Community